Orthopedic appliance



May 3, 1938. c. 13mm-2 ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 18, 1936 will!!! Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims. My4 inventionwrelates to new and useful orthopedic appliances particularly such as are employed in connection with undeveloped shoulders, hollow backs, a fallen abdomen, and other similar malformations or deformities of the body. One of the objects of this invention is to construct an appliance of the character mentioned from plastic material which will solidify and ret-ain the desired shape.

Another object of the present invention is to make such an appliance by a unique method.

Another object of the invention is to produce an orthopedic appliance from plates or walls fashioned to correspond to the shape of the deformity and the general contour of a persons body in the region of such deformity thereby acting as a ller in the case of a recessed deformity and functioning to support the surrounding parts of the body.

Another object of the invention is to make a hollow appliance from a plastic composition, for example, the material known on the market as Plastic wood, and to fashion the same for each individual deformity or malformation.

A further object of the present invention is to produce an appliance of the character mentioned by making a mold from the deformity or malformation, then casting plates or walls of the plastic composition on the mold and finally connecting the plates together along and/or adjacent their edges. Such an appliance will be hollow to some extent and may be reinforced by stays and strengthened by fastenings, preferably of the same material as the plates.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an appliance of predetermined shape for use as an abdominal support.

With the above and' other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe a construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. l is an inner face view of an orthopedic appliance such as is used for supporting weak f shoulders or a deformed back of a person's body.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the belt, band or attaching means removed.

Fig. 3 is a view also partly in elevation and partly in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating waysof fastening the plates or walls together.

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary face view of the appliance illustrating one of the ways of joining the plates.

Fig. 6 is an inner face View of an orthopedic appliance embodying my invention and constituting a ptosis pad.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an edge View looking at the lower portion of the device as illustrated in Fig. 6.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, I0 represents the inner or contact plate or wall which is fashioned to properly fit and cover'the total area of the deformity or malformation. An outer plate or wall II is shaped, cross sectionally, to what the surface of the body should be over the area of the deformity and the boundary or contour thereof made to match that of the inner or contact plate. These two plates are then secured together along their borders to form a hollow pad and may be additionally fastened by fastening devices I2 and also may be reinforced with stays I3 on the inside of the hollow appliance thus produced.

More particularly the plates I0 and I I are produced from a suitable plastic composition which is first formed into thin sheets and this may be done in a manner similar to rolling out pie dough or in any other suitable way. These sheets are then formed or cast over shapes or molds, of plaster of Paris or other suitable material, previously made of the deformity or malformation so that the inner plate I0 will be of the same configuration as the deformity or malformation both as to surface and contour, as in Fig. 1, while the outer plate Il will be shaped to correspond to what the surface of the body should be over the area of the deformity or malformation.

The two plates thus formed are separate elements and are allowed to thoroughly dry and become permanently set. Preferably one of the plates, as II, Fig. 5, is slightly smaller than the other and its edge is roughened or serrated as at I4 and the inner surface of the other plate contiguous its border is also roughened to assure a bond between the plates and the joining material I5 which in the present instance is the plastic composition. The joint thus formed is smoothed olf or finished after the plastic composition has become hard and set. Prior to the time the plates are put together the stays I3, which may be of cork for lightness, are fixed to one of the plates by some of the plastic composition and a quantity of said plastic composition placed on the free ends of the stays or on the other plate in the localities where said stays will contact said other plate so that when the two plates are pressed together bonds I6 will be produced. Where the edges of the plates are to form a butt joint the plastic composition can be placed in overlapping relation to produce a bond such as shown at Il in Fig. '7 and can be either inside or outside as will the holes in one plate will be directly opposite those in the other plate said holes are preferably drilled through and through and then counter-a sunk. Some of the plastic material is next rolled into cylindrical sections and inserted in the countersunk holesv and squeezed until heads .are

produced which fill said countersunk holes thus producing, in effect, rivets with'enl'arged or bulged bodies. Finally vent holes I9 are made in both plates to 'permit circulation of air for causin'g'evapora-4 tion of perspiration and keeping the appliance cool. 1

A band or belt 20 may be attached in any suitable manner to the appliance for holding the latter in position under a corset or other undergarment and the undergarment will firmly maintain said appliance in place without discomv fort to the wearer. f l

The appliance illustrated in Figs. 1V to 5 inclusive is one used for a hollow back, the hollow often being the result of some illness that causes a weakening of the muscles. In such a case the person usually becomes round or stoop shouldered or the shoulder on the deformedside' of the body will become lower than the other due to the weakened condition of the muscles both in' the area of and contiguous to thedeformity.- In producing the appliance, a mold'is` made of the recess by using plaster of Paris or other suitable substance and the back of said mold is shaped to correspond to the general contour of the persons back. The plates are next madeV over the mold and connected to each other as previously described. When the appliance is placed in po' sition, it will ll the hollow or recess in the persons back and support the surrounding body structure so the person can stand erect andthe body will have the correct appearance of symmetry.

In that form of the appliance illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 which is particularly adapted for use as a ptosis pad or abdominal support, the plates are of generally circular shape in plan and the inner plate l0 has an elongated raised portion' 2| extending from the edge of the appliance in-v ward a desired distance, preferably 'beyond the center thereof, and partially surrounded by adepressed area which forms a substantially crescent shaped channel 22. When such` an appli` ance is pressed against the abdomen the channel forms a pocket and receives portions of the body which will hold said appliance practically immovable in the proper locality for effectively supporting a fallen stomach in a manner that is comfortable to the wearer. Like the previously described appliance this one may be held in place by a belt or band, an undergarment or any other suitable means.

An appliance of the character described when made of a plastic composition as set forth here-v in assures a much lighterV and cooler support than the average device for this purpose now on lthe market.

Of course I do not wish to belimited to the exact details of construction and the combination of all of the elements herein shown and described as these are merely illustrative and can bev varied within the limits of the appendedA claims- 4hardened `plastic composition fastening the edges ofY saidr plates together, cork stays betweenV the plates within the pad, means to hold said stays in position,` 'and means passing through bo-th plates .foroadditionally securing them.

2. The structure in claim 1 wherein the means fory additionally Asecuring the plates are rivets resulting from4 hardened plastic composition and including coun-tersunk heads and a bulged shank. v--3.In' an Iorthopedic appliance, a hollow pad consisting of perforated inner and outer plates of hardened plastic composition,V the inner plate including an elongatedY raised portion extending from a part of itsvedge inward to a position in the locality of the center of the-plate and a crescent shaped channel -partially surrounding said raised portion; said outer plate fashioned to the general shape ofV a personsybody in the region where the pad is to be used, a joint of hardened plastic composition securingthe-edgesof said plates together, rivets. of hardened plastic. com# position' to ladditionally fasten Vsaid plates, cork stays between the plates and within the pad, and bonds of hardened plastic composition to X the stays to said plates. f

'4. The method Vof making an orthopedic appliance of the character described which consists of making plates from sheets of plastic composition, then securing the plates together along their edges with cork stays betweenA them, next inserting cylindrical sections of the plastic composition through countersunk holes in both plates andpressing said sections endwise to force some of the composition into said countersunk holes and bulge the material between the plates, then allowingrthe whole structure to harden and set, and finally Yperforating the plates to provide vents. i Y

5. In a orthopedic appliance, a hollow pad consisting of. inner and outer plates of hardenedv plastic composition, said inner plate fashioned to conform toa body deformity, and said outer plate shaped similar to thefnatural body in the region of the deformity,A andmeans to fastenV the edges of said plates together. Y

6. In an:.orthopedic appliance, a hollow pad consisting of` unyielding inner and outer plates of hardened plastic composition, said inner plateV fashioned to conformto a body deformity to function as a support and said outer plate shaped similar to the natural body in the region of the deformity, means to fasten the edges of said plates together, and stays between the plates and within the pad.

7. In an orthopedic appliance, a hollow pad consisting of inner and outer plates of hardened plastic composition previously fashioned to shape, and means to secure said'plates together .along their edges. Y

8. In an orthopedic appliance, ahollow pad consisting of inner land'outer plates of hardened plastic composition'previously fashioned to shape, means to secure saidv plates together, and means positioned within the pad between the plates fo bracing said plates.

CECILIA Y BAILJE. 

